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Oliviero Toscani, the photographer behind Benetton, passes away
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The italian photographer passes away at 82 due to amyloidosis.
Oliviero Toscani passed away this Monday at the age of 82, after being admitted to the intensive care unit of Cecina Hospital last Friday. At that time, he was already unconscious, and his wife declared it was “a point of no return.” The artist had been suffering from amyloidosis for some time, an incurable disease he spoke about last August. As he explained, the so-called “stiff heart syndrome” causes proteins to deposit in certain vital parts of the body, blocking its functions. This disease not only caused him to lose 40 kilograms in a year, but it also forced him to give up photography.
The photographer, born in Milan and the son of a photojournalist for ‘Corriere della Sera‘, studied photography and graphic design at the Zurich University of the Arts from 1961 to 1965. From 1982 to 2000, he developed the communication strategy for the United Colors of Benetton brand. His bold and provocative campaigns addressed religious, social, cultural, and political issues with striking and controversial images.
His controversial approach made the brand one of the most recognisable in the world, with iconic images such as a priest and a nun kissing, a terminal AIDS patient, and a black woman breastfeeding a white baby gaining global attention. These works cemented his status as an international icon in the field.
Of course, Benetton has wanted to pay tribute to Toscani’s legacy and has shared one of his photographs on their social media: a colourful bouquet of flowers, accompanied by the following text: “In order to explain certain things, words simply don’t suffice. You taught us that. And with that said, we’d like to pay tribute to you with a photo that you took for us many years ago, in 1989. Farewell Oliviero. Keep on dreaming..”
In addition to his significant contribution to Benetton, the photographer was the creative mind behind some of the most well-known publications in the world, such as ‘Elle‘, ‘Esquire’, ‘Harper’s Bazaar‘, and ‘Vogue‘. He also created advertising campaigns for brands like Woolworth, Chanel, Toyota, and Esprit, among others. His work was rewarded with numerous accolades, including four Golden Lions, the UNESCO Grand Prix, the Grand Prix of Affichage twice, and many awards from Art Directors Clubs worldwide.
